Shield for driving-gear of motor-vehicles.



J. W. THOMPSON. SHIELD PoR DRIVING GEAR 0F MOTOR VEHIQLES. y

4APPLICATION' 'FILED APH12,1912. 1,055,101.

`Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Juve/nier, YZ.

www@

JOHN W. THOMPSON, F BRENT, ALABAMA.

SHIELD FOR DRIVING-GEAR 0F MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4c, 1913.

Application ill'ed April 12, i912. Serial No. 690,282.

To H v'u1/1,0m it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN W. THoMrsoN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at lrrent, in the county of Bibb and State of t laba'na, have invented new and useful improvements in Shieldsfor Driving-Gear of iti( ir-Vehicles, of 4which the following is 'spccilication The. invention relates to shields for driving gear of motor vehicles, and has for its primary object to provide a shield wherein the driving gear will be nclosed so as to protect the' same from dirt, sand, or other foreign matter while themotor vehicle is travel ng.

Another object o'f the invention is 4the provision ot' a shield ot' this character which will fit about the knuckle joint bet-Ween the .trant axle and wheel of a motor vehicle so as to protect the driving gear and at the saine time will not interfere with the rotation oit 'the wheel or the steering thereof.

EL `further object of the invention is the prfrwision ot' a shield which is simple in construction, readily and easily applied about the driving gear, thoroughly reliable and ellicient in its purpose, and inexpensive in manufacture. With these and other objects in view the invcnthin consists 'in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as wil be, hereinafter more fully described, illustrattori in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended. ln the drawings z-Figure 1V is a front elevation of a stationary front axle, the steering' 4knuckles `and steering wheels of i a motor vehicle, showing the driving gear constructed in accordance with the invention applied thereto, one of the steering wheels being broken away, the gear connections being shown partly in '-..\ction. Fi 2 is a 'ragmentary top plan wv thereo' Fig. 3 's anv enlarged fragi 'ary vertical sectional view through one o; the steering wheels showing the gear connect ions associated therewith.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

linterring `to the drawings by numerals, ther 1s merely shown the stationary t'ront axle Si. theA turning knuckles t3, and the steen in o; wi'ieels T of a motor vehicle oit' any ordinary type, to illustrate the manner ot' appho-ation and the construction of the drivpair of crown tooth gears 8, eac

Y screws 12.

and also the .casings tor y 25 thereof is ing gear as will be hereinafter more fully described. The driving gea?h com rises a being mounted on the inper side of the steering wheels 7 which is journaled upon the axle spindle or stub 9 of the turning knuckle 6 as usual, the gear 8 being detachably secured to the spokes 10 of the said s'teerin. wheel by means of band clips 11 surrounding the said spokes 10 and 'are fixed to the gear 8 through the medium of the removable ln this instance each gear 8 is shown of the solid type although the same may be made of the skeleton type or in any other manner found desirable.

'Rotatably connected to the upper ends of the knuckle pins 13 which are passed throigh the forks 14 of the stationary axle 5 an the turning knuckle 6 are beveled pinions 15 having integral therewith the cog gears 16 which mesh with the gears 8, while meshing with the beveled pinions 15 are further beveled pinions'l?, the same being fixed to the outer ends of driven shafts 18 having interposed therebetween the usual differential contained within the differential casing 19V which is supported by and between vert1cal uprights 20 formed on and rising from the stationary axle 5, the differential gearing within the casing 19 being connected wlth and driven from the engine or motor or vehicle in the ordinary well-known manner so that power may be transmitted from the engine ldirectly to the steering wheels 7 of the said vehicle.

Formed at intervals on and projecting outwardly from the periphery of each gear Bare ears or lugs 21 to which is connected an outer circular-shaped shield section 22 the same being formed with an out-turned annular locking ange 23 loosely engaging for rotation in a channeled circular racel way 24 formed on the inner section 25 of a guard casing, the latter being mounted upon and supported by braces or arms 26 fixed to and projecting rearwardly and forwardly from the turning knuckle 6 so that on the turning of the latter section 25 of the casing will move therewitli,and likewise the outer section 22 by reason of its connection with the steering wheel 7 will. simultaneously move with the said casing. The casing at the inner section formed with cut-away or tions oiislots 26 and 27 respectively, w ich are of a size to accommodate the shaft 18 the said inner so that they will mi intel'- guiding the moor vehicle in its trave.

The easing will exclude dirt, mud and foreign matter from the gearing and all of the adjunct Working parte of the driving gear. It will be apparent that by reasom 'of the particular mounting of the driving' gear the same Will possess maximum strength, thereb assuring durability and alsoby reason o the simplciti;r of eoiasruetion there Will be no possibility of the rangement of the parts, and in this manner a positive drive from the engine to the steering Wheels will beassured aS; ali times. y

Furthermore, it is o be' the arrau ement of he driving gear will not inter ere with the drivixg of the rear the motor vehicle either by chain connection orl gearing in the erdiuary We`lknown manner. r

It is of course te be uscira-stood. fha* chan es and Variaions and n'iodfieaiens may e made in'fue .invensieyie suffi-1 come understood hat by of ik@ Saiii properly Witn `the scope eia1m Wlhou', deparmg irom er l sacrificing any ei? jhe advasimges .Ji'zatien with a .knuckle join die, 'whee roaaby momiee geare on the wheei and imm-@1de Wiih each. other? of a eireuar shaped numeri on the Wiiee Gemeen id gear theme11 an. adapb tlerewltl and hav" 1g oui-- e) and, f guard easing ineiosng viie knuckle ljoin@ and having r Hanneed. rimforu'ing a .racer r3 'iie oui-Ruined or; i,he i. for eonneeing ,ne agver argf Eising togezier.

mesh .A- i 'i there i lminil am housing sh ici iificaiy ine J @d to rote turned i l. j

secta 'die guard in. presence.

in ,esaiimonv whereof aiir my signature 

